It's actually more appropriate for a space cadet design: Hyper | Super | Meta | Control | Spacebar | Control | Meta | Super | Hyper which was available when

It's actually more appropriate for a space cadet design: Hyper | Super | Meta | Control | Spacebar | Control | Meta | Super | Hyper which was available when emacs keybindings were solidifying (they originated essentially as "hey, what do you people have configured?" poll around the lab/mailing list) Note that the modifier keys are mirrored, and Emacs' most used key (control) is closest to spacebar. Essentially, you weren't supposed to use control with your pinky while stretching your hand to hit another key - but to use opposite hand for modifier. Suddenly RSI is much less of an issue. Unfortunately not only order of keys on a modern keyboard is different (and often you lose some keys) a full 104 key has Ctrl | Super | Alt/Meta | Spacebar | AltGr/Meta | Super | Hyper | Control) which is noticeably non-mirrored, depending on one's language might also lose right Meta key, and for some reason you now commonly get PrtScr/SysRq in place of Hyper on laptop keyboards.